First Place Award!

by Steve Ray on June 6, 2006

It is always nice to know your work on is appreciated — and done well.

We just learned that our documentary David & Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom has won 1st Prize at the 27th Annual Telly Awards in the catagory of religious documentary! The Telly Awards are like Oscars for movies or Emmys for television — only Telly Awards are for videos.

We are very excited about the award and Ignatius Press will be doing a Press Release later this week. I think this is our 4th Telly so far in our Footprints of God series. We have also won a number of Unity Awards, Aurora Awards and even Video of the Year with a Catholic organization.

Here is what the Unites States Catholic Council of Bishops (USCCB) said about the video:

"David/Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom — Ancient Israel's two greatest kings are profiled in this sixth installment of the 10-part "Footprints of God" series of videos hosted by Stephen Ray, a convert from the Baptist faith to the Catholic faith, whose animated zeal brings the Bible to life. Tracing David's rise from humble shepherd boy to God's anointed king, the program presents him in all his complexities: warrior, poet, hero, sinner; a man who united a divided people and forged a nation, but whose misdeeds — including adultery and murder — nearly destroyed his kingdom. Solomon gets sketchier treatment, focusing on his legendary wisdom, building of the first Temple of Jerusalem and his later fall into idolatry. Together their reigns marked ancient Israel's "golden age." Touring the actual Holy Land sites where the scriptural events may have occurred, the engaging video illuminates how both men prefigured Jesus, providing Catholic viewers with a deeper understanding of their faith by highlighting Christianity's Jewish roots and by linking the Old and New Testaments in the drama of salvation. The DVD also includes a "making-of" documentary and other behind-the-scenes material, as well as a short interview with Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze. (Ignatius Press) 2006"